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/ A HISTORY 

E 612 
.fl5 ri97 
Copy 1 

GEORGE W. MURRAY, 

AND HIS LONG 

CONFINEMENT AT ANDERSONYILLE, CxEORGIA. 



THE STARVATION AND DEATH OF HIS THREE 
BROTHERS AT THE SAME PLACE. 

\ 



By himself. 



SOLD BY HIMSELF 

FOR THE BENEFIT OF HIMSELF AND FAMILY. 
Price 25 Cents. 



V 



^<. 



^ 



y / 



A HISTORY 



GEORGE W. MURRAY, 



AND HIS LONG 



CONFINEMENT AT ANDERSONVILLE, GEORGIA. 



ALSO 



THE STARVATION AND DEATH OF HIS THREE 
BROTHERS AT THE SAME PLACE. 



By himself. 



SOLD BY HIMSELF 

FOR THE BENEFIT OF HIMSELF AND FAMILY. 

Price 25 Ceiitis. 



IV 

us? There is none that can be offered. It was pure 
viciousness that had been engendered by the evil influences 
of Slavery. 

With these few remarks, I throw myself upon the gene- 
rosity of the public, and crave their aid and assistance in 
supporting my little family. 

Yours respectfully, 

G. W. Murray. 



HISTORY, 



I WAS born in the small town of Bovina, in Dela- 
ware County, New York. At the early age of two 
years, my parents came to the city of Springfield, 
Massachusetts, where I remained until I arrived to 
the age of manhood. In the mean time, 1 learned 
the trade of a pattern-maker. I was the youngest 
of four brothers, and like all other youvger children, 
I was the pet of the family, and for that reason I 
never left home until after I was twenty years of age, 
when my father and mother both died and left me 
without a home. 

Soon after the death of my parents, I went to 
Boston, and worked at my trade. My mind soon 
became unsettled, and my fancy led me to rambling, 
as is the case with most young men who have no 
parents to guide them. I must here admit that I 
was very unsteady as far as staying in one place long 
at a time. I have in my ramblings visited most all 
the Western States, and worked in most all the prin- 
cipal cities of the far West. But after a very severe 
attack of the typhoid fever, I was led to think seri- 
ously of providing for myself a home. Acting upon 
these convictions, I returned to Massachusetts, and at 
1* 



6 

Lowell, in the same State, I became acquainted withy 
loved, and married the lady who is now my wife ; and 
shortly after I went to Indianapolis, Indiana, where 
I remained till 1860, and then returned to Boston 
and lived until the breaking out of the Rebellion ; and 
being the son of a man who had fought for the estab- 
lishment of this our glorious Government, I thought 
it my duty to lend a helping hand in suppressing 
that wicked rebellion which threatened to destroy 
one of the best governments that the sun ever shone 
upon. Therefore, just as soon as I could arrange 
my business, I offered my services, aye, my Hfe if 
need be, for the protection of the country from 
which I had received so many benefits. Myself, in 
company with three elder brothers, put down our 
names to assist in filling up the Eleventh Regiment 
of Massachusetts Volunteers, under the command of 
Colonel Clark, who, after the first battle of Bull 
Run, resigned on account of ill-health, and his place 
was filled by Lieutenant-Colonel listen, who had 
rendered assistance to his country in our war with 
Mexico, The Regiment was soon filled up, and we 
were ready to take our departure for the sunny 
South. And I, bidding adieu to my wife and family, 
went in defense of our National Liberty. No one can 
tell, except those that were with me, and experienced 
the same trial that I passed through, the pain of sep- 
aration. Imagine, if you can, how I must have felt, 
when obliged to leave those I loved, to meet with 
privations, danger, and probably death, in a strange 
land. But should I remain inactive, and see those 
liberties which I had so long enjoyed, ruthlessly 



plucked from me ? I had an uncle who lost his life 
while struggling to establish this good and glorious 
Government ; also a father who participated largely 
in those bloody contests of the Revolution, and those 
of 1812. 

Under those circumstances, I deemed it my duty 
to go, and follow the example of my predecessors. 
So bidding adieu to home and friends, we took our 
departure, and arrived at Washington on or about 
the first of June, 1861, and encamped at Camp 
Green, and remained there until near the time of 
the first battle of Bull Run, when we received orders 
to march forward under the command of General 
McDowell. 

I will not attempt to give a description of those 
battles, as they are so familiar to all, and also because 
they have been commented upon by abler writers 
than myself. But I only wish to give you a faint 
idea of army life. I will state to my readers, that I 
was not accustomed to the life of a soldier, or hard- 
ships connected therewith. As I have already stated, 
we received orders to march, and on the 19th of 
July, 1861, we packed our knapsacks and camp uten- 
sils, and made our way towards the memorable battle- 
field of Bull Run. On the night of the 20th, we 
halted about two miles from Stone Bridge, and after 
taking some refreshments, we began to make prepar- 
ations for the coming day. After all things were put 
in order, the officers and privates collected themselves 
together in groups and were soon busily engaged in 
conversation, which was kept up the remainder of 
the evening. Some talked of the homes they had 



8 

left, others of their wives and children. My three 
brothers and myself separated ourselves from the rest 
of the company,* and were talking of home and loved 
ones left behind. Our thoughts were solemn indeed. 
What would be the morrow's result? In all proba- 
bility, some of us who were conversing together 
would never behold their friends and homes again. 
While pondering over the probable results of the 
future, we were startled suddenly by the sharp crack 
of a musket ^n our front, which was immediately 
followed by several shots all along the picket line, 
that made not a little excitement in the camp, and 
caused many to think that the coming struggle was 
indeed near at hand. Who of us would survive the 
morrow ? Promises were made by comrades, that 
whoever should fall, the survivor should bear the 
sorrowful tidings to their friends and loved ones at 
home. A few remarks were passed between me and 
rkj brothers concerning the coming struggle. But 
they, not like many, did not think of home or family, 
for all that was left of the family were with us. But 
with me it was different. I had a home, and those 
in it that I loved. But all that I could do was to 
pray that I might at some period not far distant see 
them once more. 

We made our beds and were soon in the land of 
dreams. Day dawned, and it was one of the hottest 
days that I had ever^experienced while in the army. 
About eight o'clock in the morning the long roll was 
sounded, and the command was for every man to fall 
in to his place. We soon formed a line and marched 
forward to meet the foe. This was our first battle, 



9 

and therefore the one which was to test our courage, 
and as we marched forward, the sharp crack of the 
musket foretold us that our dreadful work was about 
to commence. We soon reached Stone Bridge, and 
then we beheld the dark clouds of smoke. With a 
loud cheer, which issued from the lips of every man, 
we started on a double quick until we reached the 
main line of battle, and joined Hooker's Division, and 
supported the riglit centre. No charges were made 
by our men until about twelve o'clock, when we were 
ordered to charge. The rebels gave fmck for half a 
mile. Several charges were made on our left by the 
Sixty-Ninth New York Regiment and tlie Ellsworth 
Zouaves, but the results were of no great importance. 
The rebel cavalry made several charges on our left, 
but were repulsed with great loss of life. About 
two o'clock the rebels were reinforced by about thirty 
thousand men, who took the place of their nearly ex- 
hausted comrades. Tlie day was very hot, and we 
could get neither water nor food, and many of our 
men fell from exhaustion, still we held our position 
at every point. We were cheered by our officers and 
told to hold the position until our reinforcements 
came to our assistance, and that General Halleck 
was coming to reinforce us. But time rolled on and 
reinforcements did not reach us, and the forces were 
fast becoming exhausted, and it was plainly to be 
seen that victory for us was hopeless, unless we were 
reinforced soon. Our wearied line must give way to 
the impetuous charges of these fresh troops that were 
hurled, against us. In vain the officers tried to rally 
our drooping spirits and flagging limbs. At about 



10 

half-past five o'clock our lines gave way, and a gen- 
eral panic was the result. Men threw down their 
arms, and left the field over which they had so val- 
liantly fought for nine long, weary hours. 

All was excitement ; artillery and cavalry dashed 
over infantry, and our destruction seemed inevitable. 
In the mean time the Sixty-Ninth Regiment was out- 
flanked and cut off from retreat. " Surrender or 
die," cried the foe, when up rode their giant com- 
mander, who flourished his sword and exclaimed, 
" Die before you yield." 

Hand to hand the battle raged, when, by force of 
superior numbers, they were compelled to yield, 
leaving their colonel in the hands of the enemy a 
prisoner. We became scattered in all directions. 
Whether the rebels were afraid that we would be re- 
inforced, or that they were as badly off as we were, 
I dare not say. At any rate, they did not follow up 
the advantage they had gained by our retreat, for if 
they had, I think that Washington would have fallen 
into their hands with but little exertion. No efforts 
were made to reorganize the demoralized troops 
until the next morning, when they were occupied 
three days before the re-organization was accom- 
plished. Nothing of importance was done, on ac- 
count of bad weather, until after General McClellan 
took command. 

October 21st, was fought the battle of Edward's 
Ferry, which resulted in no great loss to either side. 
Shortly after this. Lieutenant General Scott resigned 
and General McClellan was appointed in his stead 
on the 1st of November, 1861, after which nothing, 



11 

with the exception of a few skirmishes, took place 
until January 7th, 1862, when the battle of Blue 
Gap occurred, and on the 19th, the battle of Mill 
Springs, which was followed by another engagement 
with the rebels at Winchester on the 24th of March, 
1862. 

June 25th, was commenced the seven days' bat- 
tle before Eichmond. These battles were fought 
in the midst of heavy timber, and at times it was im- 
possible to see the position of the enemy. The fight- 
ing on both sides was very fierce, and every inch of 
ground was stubbornly contested. Many of the 
rebels were killed by the falling limbs which were 
cut off by our shells. July 1st was fought the battle 
of Malvern Hills, which was the close of the seven 
days' conflict. 

On the 11th, General Halleck was appointed Com- 
mander-in-chief. About this time the President is- 
sued a call for three hundred thousand men in order 
to fill our broken ranks. After this we marched on 
and fought that bloody and bitter battle of the second 
Bull Run on the 30th of August. The next battle 
that I was engaged in was that of Antietam. It was 
at this place where General Burnside first showed 
his military skill to the best advantage, and his corps 
fought valiantly under his leadership. 

On the 7tli of November, General McClellan was 
relieved by General Burnside. On December 13th 
came the battle of Fredericksburg. We marched to 
the river, and succeeded in throwing our pontoons 
across the stream. The Seventh Michigan again led 
the way across, and by them was the battle opeiied. 



12 

After the greater portion of the infantry succeeded 
in crossing over, the Eleventh Corps, commanded by- 
General Hooker, charged upon the works three times, 
and were repulsed with great loss each time, our 
artillery being stuck in the mud on the other side 
of the river. Therefore, receiving no support from 
them, we were obliged to recross. 

This ended the campaign of 1862. We then went 
into winter quarters. April 28th, 1868, General 
Hooker crossed the Rappahannock. May 2d, 3d and 
4th, the battle of Chancellorville was fought, be- 
tween the armies of Generals Hooker and Lee. June 
13th, General Millroy was surrounded by Lee at 
Winchester, Virginia, and on the 28th of June, Gen- 
eral Hooker was superceded by General Meade. 
July 1st the first battle of Gettysburg was fought, 
when the rebels' advance was checked. On the 2d 
came the second battle of Gettysburg, and on the 3d 
was fought the third and final battle, which resulted 
in a victory for us. On the 24th of November, we 
stormed and captured Lookout Mountain, after a 
very hard fight. We were obliged to march up the 
steep sides of the mountain under a raking fire of tlie 
enemy, who were sheltered by their earth-works, yet 
in spite of their galling fire we marched steadily up 
to the cannons' mouths and by a rapid, sudden dash 
we became masters of the position, but not without 
losing a large number of brave men. 

On the 1st day of February, my three brothers 
and I re-enlisted in the Eighth United States Regu- 
lars, after which the reorganization and consolidation 
of corps took place. After all the hardships and the 



13 

many battles I had passed through, I, like many 
others, became fearless of the dangers that yet 
awaited me. After re-enlisting in the Eighth United 
States Regulars, we joined the Second Division, un- 
der the command of General Wadsworth, of New 
York, who lost his life in defence of his country, on 
May 10th, 1864, and the Fifth Corps, under the com- 
mand of General Warren. March the 9th, General 
Grant was promoted Lieutenant-General. On the 
12th, he was appointed Commander-in-chief of the 
armies of the United States. May 3d, Grant's army 
moved across the Rapidan. On the 5th, Lee des- 
perately attacked our army with undecisive results. 
The next day Lee resumed the attack at dawn, and 
continued it all day, but finally was compelled to 
withdraw ; our troops held their own position. The 
loss on this and the day before was about fifteen 
thousand men on each side. On the 7th, the rail- 
road from Petersburg to Richmond was cut. 

On the 10th, came the battle of Spottsylvania ; 
the loss on this day was ten thousand men on each 
side. This was the hardest and bloodiest battle that 
I had yet experienced ; for the enemy seemed bound 
on death or victory. About two o'clock in the after- 
noon our right wing was ordered to charge the rebels' 
left, but it was unsuccessful, and we were compelled 
to fall back, and a large number of our forces were 
taken prisoners. My three brothers and myself were 
among the number. 

I received a wound in* my right arm, the ball en- 
tering between the two middle fingers, and passing 
horizontally through the arm between the two bones 
2 



14 

of the forearm, knocking off the cap of the elbow. 
I also received a ball in my breast, passing through 
the breast-bone, and lodging just above the heart. 
I then started for the rear^and had gone but a short 
distance wlien a shell was thrown from one of the 
rebel batteries, and on exploding a piece of it struck 
my right foot. This last shot excluded all possibility 
of reaching the rear. I sank upon the ground in a 
helpless condition, but I cannot say that I suffered 
much pain at the time, although badly wounded ; 
yet 1 felt very weak, faint and thirsty; the last caus- 
ed me much suffering. Water ! Oh ! Water ! What 
would I not then have given for a few drops of tliat 
then priceless liquid ? But it was not to be had for 
either love or money. There was no friend near me 
to moisten my parching lips and throat. Brother 
had forgotten his brother, the father his son, the son 
his father, though at any other time they would 
gladly have done all for each other they could. But 
excitement had swept away those tender thoughts 
and affections. No thought was taken of the brother 
who might be shot down at his side. " Victory or 
death" wasihe cry, and often from the lips of dying 
heroes you would hear the exciting cry of " Give it 
to them boys, give it to thom." All was excitement. 
Thus the battle rolled on. Charge after charge 
was made, but to no advantage to either side. Night 
came on, and founjj the two armies still struggling 
for the mastery. The corps to whicli I belonged 
had fallen back to their old position, and left me 
within the rebel lines. My wounds had become 
very painful, and I tried to crawl, but could not. I 



15 

then thought of my wife and children. 1 felt that I 
should never see them more. Then my mind swept 
back to my three brothers, who fought side by side 
with me through so many battles. Where are they? 
Dead ! Oh my God ! Can it be? Not one left to 
return home with the sad tidings ? Thus I sank into 
a state of complete exhaustion. How long I reaiain- 
ed thus I do not know, but when I awoKe I found 
that my wounds had become very painful ; so much 
so, that I could control myself no longer. I madly 
called for the assistance of some kind friend. My 
screams of agony brought an answer. 

"Who is there?" came from out of the darkness. 

"A friend^ a dying friend," I answered. " Come 
to me, and assist me. I will pay you well, only come." 

At that moment I lieard another voice, ''Advance, 
men." Then I discovered a squad of men approach- 
ing, and as they advanced I saw that they were 
rebels. They came near to where I was lying, when 
the leader said : 

" What do you want ? and what is the matter ?" 

" 0, I am wounded, sir ; please give me some 
water," I cried. 

" What regiment do you belong to ?" 

" The Eighth United States Regulars, sir," I re- 
plied. 

" Well, we will see to you. Where are you 
wounded?" 

" In my arm, breast and foot," was my answer. 

"Are you able to walk ?" 

" No." 

" Take hold of him, men, and bring him to the 
ambulance." 



16 

They picked me up and carried me according to 
orders, the ambulance being but a short distance 
from me, but it had been hidden from my view by 
the thick bushes and shrubbery. On reaching the 
spot, they began to search mc — I had some money, 
whicli they took ; also my watch, belts, cap and coat. 
Then they put me in the ambulance and started for 
the rear, a distance of about three miles, where we 
halted on a nice pleasant green, and found about one 
hundred prisoners under guard, among whom were 
my three brothers, who had been taken prisoners too. 
They gave me some water, and bathed my wounds. 
The surgeon came at last, and dressed my wounds 
as well as he could, and left orders for my brothers 
to bathe them in cold water, and gave me some laud- 
anum to soothe the pain. I suffered considerable 
during the night, and in the morning the surgeon 
again, dressed my wounds, and the boys made me 
some coffee. Orders came to move the prisoners 
south as fast as possible, for the Union forces had 
been reinforced, and Grant was fast making his way 
in the direction of Cold Harbor, so the wounded were 
soon packed into an old lumber wagon, and started 
for Andersonville. We arrived there the first day of 
June, 1864. The weather during the day was very 
warm, while the nights were cold and damp. 

ANDERSONVILLE PRISON. 

I will now attempt to give my readers a description 
of the prison. At the distance of about eight hund- 
red paces from the railroad which connects the town 
with central Georgia on the north, and the Gulf of 



17 

Mexico on the south, was the memorable prison. It 
was built on the suggestion of Howell Cobb, in 1863, 
and was completed in February, 1864. It is situated 
about fifty miles south of Macon, Georgia; its longi- 
tude was 7° 30' west from AVashington ; latitude, 
3° 20' 10' north of the equator. This piece of ground 
had been thickly covered with pines, but they were 
cut down and formed into a palisade over twelve feet 
high, side by side. This formed the boundary line 
inside of which forty thousand human beings were 
herded at one time. There was neither bush nor 
shrub left, — not even a shed or shelter to protect 
them from the storm, or the burning heat of the sun. 
Such was the condition of this horrid place, where 
many of my brave comrades suffered the pangs of 
misery, pain and death. The prison was watered by 
two small branches, which connected at about one 
thousand paces distant from the outer wall, and passed 
directly through the middle of the prison. On either 
side of the branch, the ground was descending. On 
one side was the hospital ; on the other the sinks 
were erected, and the filth from both passed directly 
into the water that was to supply the inmates. It 
became so filthy, that in the month of July it was 
filled with animal life, which made it nearly impos- 
sible for man or beast to use it. I will not spend 
time in stating the horrors of that accursed, and, I 
might also say, damnable hole of sorrow, for many 
are the mothers that even weep to-day, when they 
hear the name of that prison mentioned. Yes, many 
are the wives who mourn the loss of an affectionate 
husband. Many are the orphans to-day, who were 
2* 



18 

made so by starvation and death at Andersonville. 
As I have before stated to my readers, there was no 
shelter, with the exception of a rampart of logs, 
rising from fifteen to eighteen feet in height above the 
surface. It measured ten hundred and two feet in 
length, and seven hundred and seventy-nine feet in 
width. It was lengthened in the Fall of 1864, to 
sixteen hundred and twenty feet. I think that was 
the last time repairs were made on it by order of the 
rebel. Captain Wirtz, who took command of the 
prison in the Fall of 1863, and remained there until 
its evacuation in the latter part of March, 1865, when 
his career of cruelty ended. During this short peri- 
od, he had seen the bodies of not less than eighteen 
thousand brave soldiers, (who had become the vic- 
tims of cruel and barbarous treatment,) laid in their 
graves. Did they die with those diseases which na- 
ture inflicts upon man ? No. I can safely say that 
out of that number, over twelve thousand deaths ivere 
caused by starvation and ill-treatment. I will now 
state to my readers some of the horrors of that ter- 
rible den of suffering and cruelty. 

When I arrived at Andersonville, my wounds were 
in a terrible condition. Still I cherished the hope of 
being paroled ere long, as I was disabled for life, and 
of no use to either friend or foe. On arriving at the 
prison, the commanding officer of the hospital in- 
formed Captain Wirtz that there was no more room 
in the hospital, and until some of the present inmates 
died, we would be obhged to remain in the outer 
quarters or old stockade. We were then conveyed 
to the thirty-third detachment. This prison was 



19 

divided into detachments, which consisted of from 
eighty to one hundred men. An officer was appoint- 
ed from among the prisoners to see to keeping the 
number of men in his detachment, and also to aid in 
dealing out rations to them. When we arrived at 
that part of the prison, I was laid on the ground, 
beside a large stump. The day was exceedingly 
warm, and I asked one of the men to give me a drink 
of w^ater, when he presented me with an old horn 
which answered as a drinking, cup. But what was 
worse, the water that it contained was in no condi- 
tion for either man or beast to drink. It had become 
stagnated, and a green slime had accumulated on it. 
This, then, was the Tvater we had to drink, and the 
only water that was to be had within those limits 
except when the Almighty pleased to send rain upon 
the earth ; then, if we were provided with something 
to catch it with, we had a glorious treat. 

My brothers were sent to the same detachment 
that I was, and they aided in doing all for me that 
could be done to make me comfortable. They set to 
work at erecting a sort of mud hut, and completed 
it on the following day, and gained the permission 
of one of the officers of the stockade, to gather some 
leaves for a b6d. This was the only shelter we had 
to ward off the rays of the burning sun, and it an- 
swered very well for that purpose ; but when a rain 
came, we were compelled to abandon our little cot- 
tage, as it was not water-proof. I had come to the 
conclusion that I should be obliged to remain here 
until I died. I never expected to behold the faces 
of my dear ones at home, never more to inhale the 



20 

sweet breezes of the Free North ; for I felt that I 
could never recover from the condition in which I 
was now placed. But how true it is that " man prq- 
poses and God disposes." My eye could not pene- 
trate the future; neither could my mind understand 
His will. At the time we entered, it did not seem 
possible that I could survive the sufferings through 
which I had to pass. Having three wounds to con- 
tend with, and no medical assistance, I could cher- 
ish little hope of ever being at liberty again in this 
world. I tried to forget those happy days of the 
past, and if I thought of them at all, it was but as a 
dream. I prayed that my wife and children might 
be well cared for, and that the promises of those be- 
nevolent friends might be fulfilled. 

Day after day, wore away. One by one my com- 
rades passed into that bourne from whence no travel- 
er returns. I was terribly startled by discovering a 
change in the countenances of my brothers. They 
were becoming thin, pale, and haggard. Oh, how 
plainly were despair and hopelessness pictured upon 
their faces. Reason taught me that we must soon 
part. I tried to cheer them up, and pointed out to 
them the pleasures that yet remained for them, but 
it was of no avail. They had become despondent 
and hopeless of the future. Sorrow and home- 
sickness had struck deep into their hearts, and it 
was evident that starvation was fast accomplishing 
its bitter work. 

Many of my readers may wonder how I survived 
so many of my fellow-soldiers who were not wound- 
ed. The only reason that I can give, is, that I did 



21 

not allow my thoughts to dwell upon my present 
condition. I had often heard eminent surgeons 
remark, that homesickness was the worst disease in 
the army. Was it surprising that it should be prev- 
alent in such a place as Andersonville ? Want of 
nourishing food and privilege of proper exercise 
would naturally tend toward melancholy and de- 
pression of spirits. Time wore on, and the wound 
in my breast had nearly healed over ; the one in my 
arm was not so painful as it had been, though I was 
threatened with the prospects of losing my arm, and 
probably my life, being attacked with gangrene. I 
watched it closely, and kept it clean. Gangrene, as 
a general thing, is caused by allowing filthy matter 
to collect in the wound. 

On the 10th of August, 1864, one of my brothers 
was taken with spasms, and died the same night. 
On the following morning, he was put into an old 
cart and carried to the burying-ground, which was 
situated on the north side of the prison, about one 
hundred yards distant from the stockade. My two 
brothers were permitted to go to bury his remains, 
under a guard. While looking upon his worn, ema- 
ciated countenance, it seemed that 1 could almost 
hear him say ; '' 0, weep not for me, when I am 
gone, weep not for me brothers, though in prison I 
bid you adieu, I hope you will meet me. in heaven. 
I have got my discharge and am going home." 
This was the first of the four brothers, but not the 
last, whose remains were borne to the grave in this 
manner. Had we passed through these battles to 
meet such a fate — doomed to be starved to death in 
Andersonville ? 



22 



ILLUSTRATIONS OF REBEL CRUELTY. 

After the return of my brothers, Captain Wirtz 
passed through our detachment, and as he was pass- 
ing through, a young man who had become so weak 
that he could not walk, looked up to him and ad- 
dressed him as follows : "Captain, oh! captain, will 
you please give me something to eat, for I am dying 
of hunger?" 

On hearing this, Wirtz sprang forward, and with 
his revolver, struck the poor man on the side of the 
head near the temple, and laid him senseless on the 

ground. Wirtz then exclaimed : '' There, d n 

your soul, you've got bread now, such as all you 
Yankees want." 

He then passed on through the prison, cursing 
those who were not able to walk or help themselves. 
After he had gone, my brothers went to the man 
who had been so cruelly treated, and washed the 
blood from his face and tried to make him comfort- 
able ; but he soon went into spasms and died that 
night. 

Our rations had been reduced to one-half pint of 
corn meal per day, and a greater portion of it had 
to be eaten raw. I had become very much emacia- 
ted, and very weak, and I found that in spite of all 
my attempts to be courageous, I was failing daily, 
while the death of another brother only increased 
my despondency. 

I beheld one after another carried to their last 
resting place from out our number. What was the 
cause ? Answer, Starvation ! 



23 

On the 24tli of August, another of my brothers 
was attacked with the small pox, and was carried to 
the hospital. The doctor made incisions in his arms 
about one and a half inches in length, and put some- 
thing in them and sewed them up. The result was 
terrible, and proved to be the cause of his death. 
Within five hours after the operation, the skin became 
as black and swollen as if poisoned, and in less than 
two days the fle^h was alive with maggots. On the 
second day my brother died. After this, several 
men were inoculated with the same matter, under 
pretence that it was done to prevent them from 
taking the small pox, and I can safely say that not 
one of the number lived over three days after the 
operation. I had recovered so far as to be able to 
get around with the aid of a crutch that I had made 
out of a piece of board, and being very weak, I 
thought that a little exercise would be beneficial to 
me in gaining strength! 

INTERVIEW WITH WIRTZ. 

I finally came to the conclusion that I would see 
Captain Wirtz and talk to him. So with that pur- 
pose in my mind, I made my way to the gate, and 
asked the sergeant to give me permission to visit the 
Headquarters, which request he granted, and sent a 
guard with me. I met the Captain at the door, and 
saluted him. He looked at me for a moment, and 
then spoke to the guard in a rough, abrupt manner, 
saying : " What do you want here with that miser- 
able d d Yankee ?" 

The guard replied that I wanted to see him. 



24 

''What do you want?" he roughly asked. 

"Captain, I am a cripple, and unable to give any 
assistance for or against you, and wish you to let me 
go from here. T am starving in this horrible place." 

Then he said, looking crossly at me : " You did 
not think of that when you came to drive us from our 
homes, and steal our niggers, did you?" 

" No, my intention never was such, nor did I en- 
list for such a purpose." 

/' You lie, you Yankee devil, that is what you 
came to do, but I guess you will have a high old 
time of it," he said. 

" I be^g your pardon, sir," I then said ; " I came 
into the army for the same purpose I would go 
again, and that was to protect the government of my 
country that my father before me fought to estab- 
lish." 

" You mean that you came to take away the rights 
your forefathers had established. Did you not?" 

" No, sir." 

" You did, and if it was in my power, ther^ would 
not be one of you alive, that was taken prisoners. I 
would hang you all, you d d Yankee nigger- 
thieves." 

'' I thank God that it is not in your power, nor 
ever will be." 

" Take care what you say, or I will put an end to 
you. I have heard enough of you already." He 
then drew forth a revolver, and pointing it at my 
head, said : " Do you see that ? I will put a hole 
through you, if you are not careful." 

" Do so, if you wish. Death is preferable to re- 



25 

maining in this horrid place. To be shot, is an honor- 
able death for a soldier ; but to starve to death is not." 

" Well, seeing that you are so willihg to die, I 
will let you live. So go back, and don't come here 
again." 

" Well, Captain, I may live to see you in a worse 
situation than I am. Yes, a place that I would not 
exchange with you for all the world." 

'^ Oh, yes, I have heard of drowning men grasp- 
ing at a straw." 

"And I have heard of hanging men grasping at 
the air." 

After saying that, I returned into the stockade, 
with far less hopes of liberty that before I saw the 
Captain. 

EFFORTS TO ESCAPE— TREACHEpY. 

On the 24th of October, the prisoners laid a plot 
to free themselves. It was a dark, rainy night, when 
the men ruslied upon the guards and overpowered 
them, took away their guns, and locked them in the 
out-houses and vacated the premises, scattering in all 
directions. Many of them probably would have got 
away safely had it not been that there were traitors 
among them, who went to headquarters and gained 
their parole by informing the officers of the stampede. 
All was excitement among the officers. The alarm 
was given, blood-hounds were sent for, and a reward 
of thirty dollars per head was offered for every man 
that wa» brought back. In about three days all had 
been captured, and were returned, many of them 
being terribly lacerated by the fangs of the remorse- 



26 

less blood-hounds. There was a large number of 
prisoners who were not able to try to make their es- 
cape, and during the three days that the captain and 
his men were hunting and bringing in the poor, un- 
fortunate men, we were not allowed anything to eat. 
When they had all returned, the captain busied him- 
self in trying to find out who were the leaders of the 
stampede. They offered to parole the man that 
would tell who they were. This investigation did 
not seem to amount to much, nor did the reward 
tempt us. After making this offer, and finding it of 
no avail, they resorted to threatening, and we were 
all brought into a line, and each man was threatened 
with death if he did not reveal to them the leaders. 
But they feared death less than they did imprison- 
ment or starvation. But there was some one, or 
more, who thought more of parole than honor ; and 
through their treachery, six men were taken out and 
hung, and our rations were reduced to half-pint of 
raw meal per day. Another fiendish regulation was 
made soon after, which compelled each man to go 
after his own rations, if he was able, and if not 
able, he had to do without. 

My third and last brother, unable longer to bear 
up under his misfortunes, • sank into a state of idiocy, 
which, after a severe sickness, produced insanity in 
its worst and most revolting features. Oh ! imagine 
if you can, my feelings, when compelled to stand and 
see him suffer that which was worse than the pangs 
of death, and to hear his wild, incoherent , ravings, 
without being able to assauge his sufferings or re- 
lieve his agony. There he lay without the aid of a 



27 

physician. Scorched with fever, racked with pain, 
maddened by that terrible monster — hunger. Im- 
agine if you can, what a sight it must be, to be obliged 
to stand and look upon your brother hour after hour 
and see him gnaiving the flesh from both of his arms 
as far up as he could reach. My God! can I ever 
forget that scene of horror ? After suffering thus 
for a few days, his exhausted system could endure 
it no longer. Death kindly relieved him from his 
sorrows. 

I was alone. I had lost three brothers, who had 
fallen victims to the cruelty of Wirtz and his follow- 
ers. Well might my courage fail, and my hopes die 
within me. I felt that my time must indeed shortly 
come. In the meantime the fingers on my wounded 
hand" began to mortify, and had it not been for a 
surgeon, who was also a prisoner, I should probably 
have lost my hand, if not my life. He took his 
pocket knife and amputated my fingers at the last 
joint, also my thumb. About one-third of my foot 
also decayed and dropped off, and the cords con- 
tracted and drew my leg Qut of shape ; in which 
condition it. still remains. 

After the 26th of February, 1865, 1 lost all recol- 
lection of what passed around me. The prison, (I 
understand,) was vacated on the 15th of March. I 
was left while the rest of the prisoners were sent 
south. On the next day, General Sherman's men ar- 
rived, and I was picked up and sent to the hospital. 
My weight at that time was seventy-three pounds. 
I had formerly weighed one hundred and sixty. 
My first returning recollection was at Washington, 



28 

June 16th, 1865, making in all, over three months 
that I lay in a state of unconsciousness. Being 
naturally of a strong constitution, I soon became 
convalescent, and gained strength quite rapidly. 

RETURN HOME, AS FROM THE DEAD. 

As soon as I was strong enough to venture, I 
started for home. I found that my Captain had re- 
ported to my wife that I had been killed. Therefore 
when I arrived at home, I found myself quite an un- 
expected guest. My wife had applied for a pension, 
'on the supposition that I was dead. Nor was it 
strange that it should be thought so, for my friends 
had not heard from me for eighteeen months. Home 
at last ! Oh, reader, how can I describe my feelings 
when I found myself in the warm embraces of my 
dear family ! You, who have never been away from 
those you love for any length of time, can form but 
a faint idea of my feelings. You that have always 
enjoyed the pleasures and comforts can never under- 
stand the indescribable sensations which I experi- 
enced, when, after an a'bsence of years,— after long, 
weary months of suffering, deprivations and dis- 
tress, — I was at last permitted to surround the 
hearthstone with my little family. 

I returned home a cripple. All the fingers on my 
right hand gone, and my arm, from my wrist to my 
elbow, partially paralyzed : nearly one-half of my 
right foot was in a similar condition, while the rest 
of it is drawn entirely out of shape, which obliges 
me to use a crutch ; and the ball that entered my 
breast still remains there, and at times is very pain- 



29 

fill. I returned home a mere wreck of my former 
self. Therefore, unable to work, and ashamed to 
beg, I have taken this method to raise a small cap- 
ital to start some business, in order to enable me to 
support my family comfortably. 

You may ask, as many have done before, "Don't 
you get a pension ? " I answer, yes ; but I need not 
remind you that the small sum of fifteen dollars per 
month will not support a man, his wife and three 
children . 

I have fought and suffered for my country, and I 
sincerely thank God that it is at last free. I do not 
regret the steps I have taken in her behalf, and were 
she in the same situation to-morrow, and I was able, 
I would gladly fly to the rescue, I love my country 
even as my ancestors loved it, and accursed, thrice 
cursed, be the man that would attempt to destroy 
one of its noble institutions. 

In conclusion, I append a few statistics of the 
Union prisoners. at Andersonville, and the deaths 
among them, from February, 1864, to March, 1865. 
The record of mortality here given shows, in some 
degree, the wickedness of Jefferson Davis and his 
tools. 



30 



STATISTICS OF ANDERSONYILLE PRISON, GA., 

FROM FEBRUARY, 1864, TO MARCH, 1865. 



MONTH. 


No. of 


No. in 


Av. No. of 


Prisoners. 


Hospital. 


deaths daily. 


1864, February, - 


1,600 


33 




March, 


4,603 


909 


■ 9 


April, - . - 


7,875 


870 


• 19 


May, - 


13,486 


1,190 


23 


Juii?, - 


22,352 


1,605 


40 


July,- - 


28,689 


2,156 


56 


August, 


32,193 


3,709 


99 


September, 


17,733 


3,026 


89 


October, 


5.885 


2,245 


51 


November, 


2,024 


242 


16 


December, 


2,218 


*431 


5 


1865, January, - 


4,931 


595 


6 


February, 


5,195 


•365 


5 


March, 


4,800 


140 


3 



The greatest number of deaths on any single day, 
was on the 23d of August, 1864, and was 127, or 
about one death every eleven minutes. 



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